Of Confrontations and Courage
by shiki-chou
Summary: MarthxRoy Again, slight AU. Roy figures out that when the source is discovered, you must confront it ... even if it takes a while. Chapter 3 updated!
1. The Source

1Title: Of Confrontations and Courage

... okay, I know, crappy title.

Hi, shiki-chou here to say that this is the first chapter of "Of Confrontations and Courage", and there will be more chapters up soon enough.

It's a MarthxRoy fic, and I warn you of shounen-ai. So if you don't like it, then I suggest not reading at all. No flaming please. Flamers are generally intolerable to authors and fans, and plus, I'm new at this whole story-writing thing here, so go easy on me!

Roy was flustered. And he didn't seem to know why.

Often enough, he would spend time pondering in his own, red-furnished room, and he'd sort through all the things that could cause him to decorate a crimson cloud about his cheeks. Recently, he had "wasted" much time contemplating his overly rosy cheeks for quite a while. Oh, all the theories he had come up with– and all of them slowly proved wrong. He twisted the bottom of his red shirt in perplexity.

"I'm not sick,", Roy said unsurely as he felt his forehead, "and I don't think I've ever flustered the smallest when I _was_ sick!" He plopped down on the bed, the crumpled papers and scattered notebooks making the act of a comfy position nearly impossible. Annoyed, the redhead brushed off some obstacles in order to lie down properly. And the redhead thought again. He sighed, "What if it's someone else? What if I like someone and I don't even know it?" Roy gave himself a hard knock on the head, "No. No. Only weak people fall in love, and I am the farthest thing from weak!", then he wondered again, " ... or maybe I am."

The fiery youth sat up in a cross-legged position, accusing himself of this and that, and pummeling his still-adolescent psyche in because he couldn't make it figure out the simplest thing: What the friggin' hell was making his face wear red so unintendedly?! Mentally, he gathered a list of possible candidates (or what he self-proclaimed possible), and through the process of elimination, he was narrowed down to what was a considerable few.

"It's not Peach, cuz she has Mario, and it's not Zelda, cuz she's always too busy with her nose in ancient books ... that wisdom-blessed smart ass." Roy had obliterated the two princesses from possibilities. "Samus is too reticent, and she's always training, and Nana is obviously too young ... besides," he chuckled to himself , "It's sooo obvious she likes Young Link." Roy double took the door just to see if anyone was within hearing range. No one. Great. If rumors about Nana and Young Link would inconveniently spread (claiming Roy as the source, no doubt), he would be forced to always begin the day with meeting the end of a little girl's giant mallet, maybe even multiple times. What a _great_ life that would be.

All this thinking and superficial analysis made Roy irritated. _Something_ jammed back into the confinements of his brain was constantly making the blood rush to his face. "What is this?!!" Roy yelled out of childish frustration. Plop. His flame-imprinted sheets ruffled with the unexpected weight of his upper torso meeting the bed. The redhead closed his eyes and entered his mind once more, and surprised himself with the new theory that had come up so unexpectedly. He_ had_ been hanging out with Marth a lot lately. The way the blue-haired swordsman laughed at his crude, yet humorous remarks, and how Roy would always grin goofily in response. The way Marth's slightly taller stature was in wonderful proportion to Roy's own as they strolled together in the gardens outback. The way the prince always helped Roy up after a bit of sparring. Come to think of it, he always did fluster a bit after spending time with the monarch. Roy slammed his hands onto his face and mentally-berated himself. "No! No! NO!! I can't like Marth! Why am I thinking these things?! I mean ... he's a guy! It's not acceptable for boys to like boys!!" Roy paused and questioned himself considerably, "Wait. Is it? Is it okay," he gulped, "for me to like my best friend? You know, like ... regardless of gender?" The nervous and brightly-flustered redhead double-took the door again. No one. He sighed of greater relief.

The redhead got up slowly and looked out the window. The sky was clear. And blue. And Marth was colored blue at great lengths too– "–!!", he groaned of uncertainty and looked away abruptly from the perfectly clear, reminiscent-of-Marth-blue sky.

He had been raised his whole life being taught to act acceptably to others, however, it only encompassed etiquette and nobility. The forks go here, you use this spoon for soup, never strike someone below the belt, when someone greets you, greet them back, and anything else a counselor of Pherae could come up with. A gay orientation, however, was never really brought up as a subject anyway, but as a child, he thought boys liking boys was gross, and therefore, not acceptable. But as a young adult now, he had opened up to new ideas that were presented to him as he resided within the Smash Mansion. Most certainly, learning to accept a twist in your preferences (as he had witnessed with Link and Sheik) was okay. Besides, everyone seemed really supportive of them. He laughed as he thought of Link and his beloved Sheik, and Sheik and his beloved Link. _How happy they must be. _Roy was embarrassed with his self-confrontation a little earlier about whether he _can_ like guys, whether he _does_ like guys, and ... well, liking guys in general. He smiled wryly because he was done thinking. He liked Marth. Yeah. He liked him a lot. And nobody would have problem with it. Of course, another situation impeded his brief moment of peace:

"Am I gonna tell him?"

I had fun with this first chapter. I just randomly started typing (imagine me sitting at the computer and staring at the keyboard for long periods of time), and it turned into a great idea as it progressed.

Well yeah. Next chapter will be up soon (I hope). Hopefully, procrastination and writer's block won't get the best of me.

Roy: Why am I talking to myself too much in this fic?

Me: Shaddap, Roy. I'm paying you.

Roy: No you don't.

Me: ...

Marth: Haha. Shiki-chou-sama lies too much.

Me: ... shaddap.


	2. This Evil Morning of Mine

Hi again, and welcome to chapter two! Hope you enjoy Roy's first morning after his admittance to himself the day before!

Chapter 2:

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As the morning had stirred most smashers into getting out of bed and preparing for what the day holds, one remained, stubborn and lazy. Roy curled into his bed sheets and groaned at the early morning light. He was usually a morning person, but why is it today that he decides to reject his own urging to get up? _Oh yeah, I just admitted to myself that I liked Marth yesterday_, Roy had suddenly remembered. Great. First Marth makes him question his preferences, and _now_ he's making him lose sleep?! Damn you, you pretty boy ...

The redhead, being as lethargic as he was, didn't make much of an effort to fix his bed sheets, or pick a new outfit for the day either. He threw on a red hoody with a similar flame-print to his red shirt, and slipped on some khaki cargo pants over his plaid boxers (stereotypical print, but whatever, it's simple.) After throwing open the door and being attacked by the horde of adolescent harassers (who chose a different target everyday), Roy finally made it to the stair case. The horribly long staircase. The horribly long stair case he didn't feel like descending. Defiantly, Roy started down his path to breakfast, hoping he'd make it before all the good food runs out.

"Okay ..." muttered Roy, "two more flights to go." _Why?! Why did Master Hand put me on the fourth floor?!_

As he walked on unwillingly, something suddenly interfered his path, and it was the last person he wanted to see at the moment, well, ever since yesterday. Marth had passed the flustered redhead up the flight of stairs, but stopped to greet the teen warrior as he normally did. Marth wore a gentle smile, "Good morning, Roy." Unusually, Roy froze, choosing to remain deliberately hypnotized by Marth's attractive assets. Then he halted in shock to himself describing Marth as _attractive_. Attractive? Oh gosh ... where'd _that_ come from?!

"Mornin' Marthy." the redhead grinned, with slight unease. "Marthy" had been a nickname established ever since he and Marth got to know each other. But now, instead of an innocuous insult, it seemed almost like an obscure term of endearment. Roy pondered to himself, wondering whether he should keep addressing the monarch like that, or drop it, because it sounded, well ... **weird** to him now.

The bluenette smiled wryly and nodded for his exit.

Roy mentally gawked at Marth. Nothing was _ever_ going to be the same at this rate. He sighed, "Roy, you idiot. You picked a perfect time to develop a crush on one of your best friends."

"What was that, Flamey-boy?" Princess Peach questioned with her normal, cheery disposition. The redhead snapped back into reality, _Oh shit! Did I say that out loud?!_ "Ahh ... uh. Nothing, Peach, nothing."

The mushroom princess giggled like a school girl addicted to rumors. The redhead was in a stalemate, and knew he couldn't escape Peach now. She's a girl for chrissakes, and girls know **everything** about crushes!

"Did you say something about falling for your best friend?" She giggled.

Roy looked around nervously, scouting out for any other girls that might happen to be in the vicinity, "No."

"Yeah, you did. I can see it."

A cloud of rose hung about the redhead's cheeks, "No Peach, I didn't."

"Yeah right."

Escape Maneuver #326: Roy chuckled falsely, "Look, I'd love to continue this conversation," he lied as he gave the princess a slight shove from his path, "but I have to go and eat breakfast nowokaybye!" The warrior dashed down the stairs, leaving an irritated, yet curious Peach behind. Once again, he sighed of relief. This was gonna be a loooong day ...

Luckily, Roy made it to the breakfast table while there were still some decent things set out. "Donut, check. Coffee, check. Egg salad sandwich, check," Roy gazed upon his food like a scavenger, for he had not had a decent breakfast in two weeks. He threw his plate onto the table and devoured it carelessly. _Dammit_, he thought to himself, _I think I'd enjoy my breakfast more if I had my friends with me ... oh well_, Roy chugged the half of his coffee, _too late. I'm done_. Not bothering to put his dishes away, the redhead stood up from the table and walked back to the stairs nonchalantly (as much as he didn't want to walk UP them, either).

"Gah..." Roy mumbled indignantly, "two– more ... flights." On the way, he passed Link, who had an abnormally empty arm this day (perhaps in the absence of Shiek. Hm, how odd). "Hey, Roy!" the blonde greeted with an upbeat grin, "Marth said he was lookin' for you." _Damn you, Marth. It's because of you that I can never get up or down the stairs normally!_ Mental slap. Stop thinking so much Roy ... you're gonna hurt yourself. Roy looked for a response that wouldn't utter his complete surprise, "Uhh, why?"

"Dunno. He didn't tell me," Link answered, "why do you need to know?"

"Ah– no reason," the redhead replied. _That's a total lie._

The green-clad warrior patted Roy on the back, "But don't worry about it! I'm sure it's nothing!" Roy smiled at the infinite presence of positivity on Link's face, and continued to walk up the stairs. But unusually, he seemed to be in a hurry for something. He was in the hurry to have the chance to see Marth.

After finally making it up the annoying stairs, he was just about to make it to the bluenette's room until he ran into the prince himself. "Ahh–" Roy yelped, "– umm ... Marth? You wanted to see me?" The cobalt-haired swordsman smiled as he seemed to hold on to something at his side, "I just wanted to return the jacket you let me borrow quite some time ago."

_Oohh ... ohh. The JACKET._ Roy suddenly remembered.

—----------- flashback ----------—

It was a cold and windy night as Marth and Roy shared a friendly conversation together near the garden's fountain. Because he was more prone to withstanding hazardous warmth, Roy was quite weak against the frosty breezes that whipped about Marth and him. In a childish, yet adorable attempt to shield himself, he wore two jackets, but abruptly realized that Marth wasn't wearing one at all ... the crazy bastard.

"Yo Marthy (there goes that nickname again), aren't ya cold?" Roy questioned with a child-like innocence. The bluenette smiled at his best friend's concern, "No, I like cold weather. It's okay."

Roy interjected, holding out one of his jackets as he began to shiver slightly. "Here, take one of mine."

The blue-haired swordsman was somewhat shocked. He knew that little Roy was more susceptible to frigid weather than he was, and taking a risk of illness and offering Marth one of his sweaters? That's just unexpected. The monarch smiled kindly, but refused, making the flame-haired boy a little irritated.

"What are you? Stupid?!" Roy startlingly yelled, causing Marth's eyes to jolt open. The bluenette had always seen the boy burn up at the smallest things, but never at him. Realizing that he had shouted indignantly at Marth, he sighed and tried to resist the shivering sensation, "Look. I just don't want you to get sick, okay?" Roy sighed and grinned widely, "Besides, it'd be no fun if you had to lie on bed all day, you know?"

The bluenette, much amused at the unexpected act of concern coming from Roy, laughed softly and accepted the jacket, "Thanks."

Roy's eyes brightened with a sparkle that only an accomplished good deed could harness, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he actually expressed true friendship to someone.

—------------- end flaskback --------------—

Marth chuckled to break the awkward silence and returned the piece of clothing to it's rightful owner. Roy took his jacket from the prince's outstretched arm, and Marth nodded again to arrange his leave. The redhead stood in the same position, watching the bluenette slowly disappear in the distance as he clutched onto the jacket as a small child would with a precious teddy bear. He brought it close to his face, willingly but reluctantly. It smelled of strawberries and Marth, but Roy preferred the scent of Marth a lot better. Smiling widely, the flame-haired boy buried his face in the piece of apparel that fumed of the prince's sweet, reminiscing presence, trying to push away all other thoughts about anything that didn't do with his beloved.

Roy's eyes snapped open with his sudden mental declaration._ Woooaahh ... beloved? What. The. Hell._

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Chapter two finished! Please review for the newb!

Next chapter, will Roy get closer to admitting his feelings, or will more things get in the way?

Me: That was such a cute chapter. Why are you such a wuss, Roy?

Roy: blush S-shut up! It's only because you make me that way in the fics!

Marth: Aww ... you call me "Marthy".

Roy: ...

Me: Once again, Roy is defeated by the truth. OMG– gets attacked by an indignant Roy


	3. Dream a Dream

Chapter 3: Dream a Dream

Harharhar ... I'm back ... with more! (cackles madly) Lol. Anyways, Roy's not getting anywhere with this crush he has going on here, but lemme tell you this: It's traumatizing him a great deal of ways. What kind of ways may you ask?

Let's find out! P.S. Slight yaoi (yes, yaoi, not shounen-ai) in this portion of the story. Beware. Enjoy Chapter 3

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_Roy opened his eyes only to find himself in a strange room. No wait, it's Link's dwelling ... what the ... (commencing countdown: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ... ding!) "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!" Roy threw one of his rare, yet occasional panic attacks. The ones where he fell on the floor, curled up into a fetal position and bawled hysterically. But the ranting and insane crying was ceased by someone who stood over him with a concerned look on his face. Link perked a brow at Roy, "You okay?" Although he was still in utter shock to find Link there, the redhead could do nothing but lie to hide the truth again, "Yeah."_

_Roy became a bit inquisitive as to how he ended up in Link's completely, green-furnished room. He raised a question, "Hey Link, uh, why am I in your room?"_ _The Hylian chuckled with the teen warrior's child-like naivete, "Well I wouldn't expect you to remember."_

"_Remember what?" The redhead was all too riddled with many questions._

_Link grinned at his ignorance, "Never mind. Just drop what I said a little earlier."_

"_What? Why? What the hell is going on, elf-boy!?"_

_The blonde groaned and covered his ears from Roy's incessant yelling, "Geez! Sometimes I wonder why Marth picked a loud, fiery person like you," he muttered, stressing the word "loud" with great sarcasm. Roy stopped in his tracks and looked over what the Hylian had barely made audible, ' picked ... me? What?_'

_With Roys' panic attack aside, Link decided it was time to put his cheerful disposition to use and change the subject a little. He took out a bag of chips and started asking questions, "So ... how are you and Marth?" The redhead, more confused and oblivious as ever, managed to process a great saying that would demonstrate just how lost he was, "What do you mean?"_

_Link sighed, but laughed internally at Roy for being so ignorant, but more rather in his mind, "horribly forgetful". "You know what I mean, you two go out don't you?"_

"_N-no! Wait ... huh?" the teen warrior opposite to the chip-eating Hylian blushed heavily and made a poor attempt to hide it. He turned his face to the side momentarily to pretend he was looking at something else._

_The green-clad boy chuckled, "Yeah, just yesterday you two left the mansion in the middle of the night, like on a date or somethin'. You guys are always going out on dates."_

_Roy abruptly turned his head when Link mentioned "dates". 'What the hell is going on?' However, he didn't let his desire to know get the best of him._

_The Pheraen perked a brow, "We do?"_

_Link continued to munch on his chips casually, "yeah!" He stopped for a moment to think about the situation, "Oh wait! But you probably don't remember a thing."_

"_Huh? Link, I don't know what you're talking about."_

"_Of course you don't. Hey ... do you know you're not virgin anymore?"_

"_Uh ... wait! Huh?!"_

_Link closed his eyes and munched on a chip, "Okay, that reaction says it all to me". Roy was rendered speechless. More rather, he was too busy thinking about the whole virgin controversy._

"_Marth screws you almost every night," the Hylian laughed in a completely impossible and casual manner, "You're so loud, Roy! I could hear you moaning even when I'm outside the hallway!" Link continued to inform Roy about every thing mockingly, "But you're usually too drunk the remember anything the next morning–"_

"What?!–" Roy woke up abruptly in a cold sweat, screaming bloody murder as if he still were in the dream, responding to Link's every word. The redhead wiped the perspiration from his forehead, "Geez ... that's it! What's up with all of these weird ass dreams?" Yes, in fact, this was the eleventh sleep premonition Roy had in a matter of two weeks, all having to do with him and the blue-haired source of his affections. And these visions were starting to scare him. **A lot. **

The redhead thought to himself, _'They were going out? Why did Link know everything? Why didn't I know anything?' _And more importantly, _'Why am I the one getting screwed?! Is it because I'm younger, shorter, and more innocent?!'_ Mental Slap. Mental punch. Roy looked at the door to find it closed and heaved a sigh of pure, private salvation. He scratched the back of his head and told himself to get over it, but he couldn't help but ask, "When is this gonna stop?"

–at breakfast–

The Pheraen's head laid on the table as he stared aimlessly at his food. The sleep deprivation from the past few nights was finally catching up to him in the daytime as his mouth lie agape and his eyes began to bag. He reached for his plate, but instead of taking from it, he pushed it away. There was just no time for an appetite anymore.

Roy sighed and closed his eyes, hoping he'd fall asleep right then and there, just to make up for the hours lost before. _Alright ... almost there ... I'm beginning ... to fall ...–_ "Roy? You know you could get stiff neck if you sleep in that position," a mocking voice had informed him from his right side. _'Dammit. Right when I was about to saw logs._' He sat up properly and rubbed his eyes, but for some nagging suspicion, he didn't want to stop, maybe because he didn't really want to see the person talking to him. _Is it Link? Please let it be Link. Or even Sheik! No wait ... he barely talks at all. Uh, Fox? No no no ... anyone but–_ He looked up against his own will and much to his sudden, curious impulse.

And low-and-behold, there was Marth, staring down at him and grinning gently. Roy blushed and looked away, wondering how he was supposed to look at Marth the same way as a friend and not a lust-filled, yet seductive fiend like in his dreams. He shuddered at the thought that triggered a sequence of memories from his sleep premonitions:

--------------------- Dream #3 ----------------------

_An aroused, nude Roy was being straddled against a bed, and he was wearing a set of red cat ears and a black collar, complete with a bell. It was like role-playing, and the redhead was some sort of sex kitten. Literally. Marth, with a great desire for pleasure apparent on his face, tied his collar to the headboard with a leash, and moved in front of Roy's legs._

_It was a funny thing with Roy, though. His conscious mind was telling him it was wrong, but his dream self wasn't trying to resist at all. The bluenette spread Roy's legs apart, and the redhead anxiously moaned, "Take me now–"_

"NOO!! Don't take me!" Roy woke up wide-eyed and frantic. He believed that after that indirect trauma, nothing was going to get him to sleep.

------------------- Dream #8 -----------------------

Dammit. Nighty-bye time.

_Thankfully, Roy was just shirtless this time, and wasn't being pinned against a bed. He was being pinned against the **headboard** of the bed if that made him feel any better._ _Marth was smirking as he fed him strawberries coated with cream, and Roy took it willingly. He moaned as the juices and cream escaped his lips and slid down his neck ... wait ... that **isn't** cream— _

"AAAHHH!!!" The redhead woke up again, covered in sweat and more trauma than he could ever imagine. Lucky for him, he had designed his patented stress-relieving kit after the fifth dream of so: A circle was drawn on the wall with the words "Slam head here repeatedly until better or unconscious" written within the circle. Three ... two ... one ... WHAM!

------------------- Dream #10 -----------------------

By this time, Roy really did not want to fall asleep, but his teenage metabolism forced him into a deep slumber anyway.

_He was in a doctor's office, when the doctor himself came out of the room and said, "Roy, you're pregnant."_

"What the fuck?!–" Roy would've yelled more had not Ganondorf and Samus broke into his room and beat the crap out of him for screaming so friggin' loud in the middle of the night.

---------------- end dream sequence -----------------

Poor, blank-faced, and traumatized Roy stared aimlessly at the wall opposite to the side Marth was on. But somewhere, _deeeep_ in the back of Roy's mind, _deeeeeeepp_ into the depths of his naughty side, some of those dreams he wished were true. Mental punch. Mental gang-up. _Ack._

The prince looked at Roy with a worried, yet amused expression plastered onto his face, "Rooooyyy", he snapped his fingers to knock Roy back into outer attentiveness. "–Huh?" The redhead was still dazed and tired, but his friendly instincts urged him to pay attention to the Altean. Marth smiled, "Hey Roy, let's go to town for a walk or somethin'", he offered a hand to the still flustered redhead.

Roy looked down at the table, trying to escape the blood rushing to his face, _'Like what? Like a date?' _ He shook his head violently. '_No ... no ... we always go for walks like this. Stop assuming things Roy._' The Pheraen got up and stretched before taking the bluenette's hand to get out of the chair. "C'mon, Roy," Marth grinned kindly, "let's go!" Roy grinned back as he followed the Altean out the door.

Of course, the little redhead knew he was a hopeless case. Roy know for himself that he wasn't getting anywhere. He caught up to Marth's side and heaved a sigh that signified the painful truth.

He was talking to his mind-self again, _'Hey dumbass. You better do something to stop those dreams. Hey! What if you just tell him how you feel?' _ Roy shook his head a little, _'Well what would I do afterwards? Run away? Face rejection?' _He reiterated the word "rejection" over and over in his mind fearfully. _'Hey, but you never know until you try. You can even ask for the assistance of friends to help you or somethin.' _Roy stopped in his tracks, shocked, yet satisfied with the decision he had just made with ... well, err, himself.

_Never know until you try, huh?_ He chuckled wryly, but quietly so Marth wouldn't notice and raise questions.

'_Yeah. I'm gonna tell him,'_ he looked at the bluenette and blushed, _'Uhhh ... but maybe later.'_

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_

Well there you have Chapter 3! I'm sorry that the dreams are a little M-rated, but it's only for one chapter, so don't expect to be seeking anymore mental harm from me. Let's see if Roy get's any closer to telling Marth in the next chapter or so.

Me: My, what horny dreams you have, Roy ...

Roy: (traumatized as an after effect of reading the dreams I made for him) ...

Marth: Haha. Review please! No flames!


	4. Anonymity

Gyaaaahhh!! Squeee!! For those of you who are still reading, thank you for being patient with me, because here's chapter fourཀ

What happens when you use the anonymous approach?

Chapter Four:

* * *

"You like Marth?!" Samus was in such a state of surprise that she nearly spewed her hot chocolate all over the sofa. Roy responded of equal decibels, "Geez! Say it to the world, why don't you?!" The bounty hunter regained her normal, cool composure before grabbing a napkin to wipe some of the heated cocoa off the couch. She looked back at an embarrassed and indignant Roy, ready to burst off into one of his fits, and smiled as she brushed away the blonde hair straying over her eyes.

Samus never imagined the redhead ever falling in love with someone in the house, much less falling in love with someone of his own gender. Generally, she didn't care about his orientation because it's his decision. But it _was_ kind of cute. The blonde woman was just a little shocked, that's all.

"Soo ..." Samus continued in an apathetic, yet curious tone of voice, "... how long has it been since you had a crush on him?" The redhead suddenly cooled down as if a bucket of water was mercilessly thrown onto his head, not exactly sure on how to respond correctly to that. _'How long have I liked him?'_ "Uhm ... let's see ..." Roy looked around for something to lock his attention on, "uh ..." Samus snorted of impatience, "Chh, you don't know?"

"No–" Roy blurted unintendedly, "I mean, er, I think I do."

The bounty hunter perked a brow.

"I think it's been four months or so already," he finally replied, "but I've known him for at least a year since I arrived here."

Samus giggled lightly, an unexpected reaction coming from a hardened, space warrior. "Haha, that's pretty long for it to be kept secret." Roy tilted his head in confusing agreement. Even he didn't know he liked Marth that long. It was kind of scary, but somehow reassuring.

"Anyway," Samus continued, mixing her hot chocolate in revolutions with a spoon, "do you really want my advice and guidance in this kind of thing?"

The redhead nodded timidly, "Well, yeah. You're a girl, you're prone to knowing this kind of stuff." Once again, the blonde woman snorted to retort the slightly stereotypical remark, but there was something about Roy's diffident attitude with love that screamed 'Gosh! So cute!!' Of course, what girl wouldn't want to help him out at this time? Picture it: There stood a clueless teenager with unruly, red hair, a cloud of crimson hanging over his cheeks as his bright eyes were fixated to the ground with an indescribable innocence. Irresistible, neh? This adorable image was enough to motivate Samus.

She sipped her piping hot cocoa and withdrew with a breath, "Well, I would use a different approach than most other girls, actually." Roy looked up with slight interest, surprised that Samus actually wanted to help him. "Anyway," she continued, "have you ever heard of a secret admirer?"

The redhead was suddenly very intrigued with such a suggestion. _'Why haven't I thought of that?' _"Yeah."

The blonde woman motioned for him to sit down, as she felt it might take a while to explain. "It's kind of a cowardly way, really. But if you want to confront him without facing him head on, then I suggest you use the anonymous approach."

"Really?"

Samus smiled and set down her drink for a bit, "It could end in two ways, but I think either way would work for you." She stopped, "Wait. Do you want anything serious with him, or do you just want to get it off your chest?"

Roy shrugged, blushing a little heavier. He never thought of actually being Marth's significant other, but it would be nice. "Both, I guess."

The bounty hunter drew a deep breath and exhaled, "Let's see. You're going to have to deal with a two-direction result. It all depends on how he feels in return."

"Okay Samus, go on." The redhead found this love business a little amusing as of now.

"Alright, if he likes you back, princey here would dwell on the true identity of his secret admirer, and most likely make an effort to seek them out." Samus grinned and ruffle Roy's messy, red locks. She adjusted her position on the couch to make herself more comfortable. "That's where you come in. As a friend, he'd ask you for help, right?" The redhead nodded in childish correspondence, and Samus furthered her explanation, "You never know when he might be anticipating you. And just to find out if it's you he wants of not, ask questions that will attempt to lead you to the answer. If it _is_ you, then admit your feelings. However, if it seems as though he's pretty disgusted or uninterested, keep quiet." Surprisingly, Roy was beginning to understand the many ethics of the chances and results you could face with this approach.

Samsu laughed wryly, "If you keep quiet, he wouldn't know who to direct his disgust, if any, towards. Either way, you won't have to face the pain of upmost rejection."

The redhead grinned and folded his arms, "no rejection, huh? Classy." Of course, this maneuver did hurt him a little, especially the part about Marth being disgusted, uninterested, or rejecting him somehow, should he not be the one the prince was hoping for. However, if it must be so, then so be it, it was still a way to tell him. "Oh, what the hell. I'll give it a shot." Samus clapped her hands together in excitement, "Alrightཀ Here's what we're going to do ..."

----meanwhile----

After a few hours of meticulous planning and a couple of cleverly-placed gifts, it was time to initiate Roy's anonymity operation. In the room next the none other than Marth's, Samus adorned a headset to communicate with Roy in private. "Alright, kiddo," she said, the buzz from the head set blurring her voice a bit with static, "did you plant the note?"

The redhead replied with an upbeat attitude, "Sure did, Samus." Just on the table outside of the monarch's room (everyone had a table to drop off gifts, mail, and what not to avoid confusion and hassle), a small letter seated itself upon the glossy wood. Of course, Roy had thought about taking it back and calling off the whole ordeal, but he already confirmed such an action to be too late. The redhead whipped his head around to scout the perimeter, and squeaked in reaction to Marth's approaching presence, "Samus! He's coming!"

The bounty hunter rapidly motioned for him to take cover, and Roy jumped behind the corner of the door in the nick of time, awaiting the blue prince to notice, and hopefully, read the note.

Marth was inching ever so closer to the cursed letter that revealed the feelings that little warrior garnered for him– signed "secret admirer", of course. Roy gulped when he drew nearer the table, and watched anxiously for his reaction. Closer, closer ... almost there ... "What?!–" Roy had almost exclaimed completely before Samus clocked him on the head. Marth passed the table! He passed the frickin' table! Wait ... is that his table? The hot-headed general suddenly remembered that everyone's tables are located on the far right side of their door. Oh , the idiocy. "Samus!" he quietly emphasized, "that's not his massage table, dammit! It's someone else's!" The blonde woman smacked her forehead for not heeding pure, common sense, "Shit! Whose is it, then?!"

Not too long after, Peach had approached _her_ rightful piece of propped furniture, and opened the note in curiosity. "Hmm ... secret admirer, huh?" she giggled in excitement. The swordsman and the space warrior exclaimed in unison, "It's **Peach's**?!" However, they could do nothing but watch the bubble-gum pink-clad princess read the letter that was inclined to be for Marth's eyes only.

"_To my source of affection,_

_I've admired you for a long time now, but not always from afar. _

_I must admit though, everything about you knocks butterflies around my stomach and constantly pummels at my well being and already weak knees. _

_The way you laugh at my crude remarks, the way your smile seems to brighten for me only when we talk, the way you gentle blue eyes lock onto mine at moments, making me melt into the ground. _

_It's you entirely. _

_Forgive me for being so weak and cowardly, but my timidity and inexperience with these kind of emotions won't really allow me to face you myself. _

_To get to the main point, I've fallen madly in love with you, and it would be nice if you felt the same way. Please do._

_Sincerely, _

_Your secret admirer_"

Roy hid his face to cover his fluster, "Oh my gosh, did she HAVE to read it out loud?" Samus laughed lightly and patted him on the back, "Hey, you're quite the writer aren't you?" The redhead shot a frown towards Samus, who only took it as an agreement. "Anyway, had you not made the letter so vague in describing the person, maybe Peach would've known it was intended for someone else," the bounty hunter pointed out, "maybe you should've said something about his 'midnight blue locks', or his 'lithe, well-built physique', or something."

Roy murmured from behind his hands, "I mentioned his blue eyes."

The blonde woman consciously fixed her bangs and replied, "Yeah, but Peach has blue eyes too, if memory serves you correctly."

Samus would have mentioned more things, had not Roy's piercing glare hit her with no mercy. The bounty hunter withdrew to avoid any sudden outbursts. "Never mind. Let's just move on–" The blonde woman was interrupted by the loud giggles being emitted from down the hall, and turned to speculate.

The rosy princess hugged the letter and bounced up and down, "Aww, that was the sweetest thing I've ever read!" Roy gawked and Samus giggled. Peach professed to herself with giddy confidence, "I knew you felt the same way, Mario!" Roy's jaw almost hit the floor and Samus laughed even harder as the bubbly princess skipped down the stairs, doing little, sporadic twirls of joy along the way.

"Well that didn't work," the swordsman sighed and fell back onto the ground. However, Samus wagged her finger in contradiction, "No no. Remember, we still have two more shots." The blonde woman smiled and urged him to relocate to the next target area. The redhead got up unenthusiastically and muttered quietly to himself, "Oh well ... what else could go wrong?"

----Location #2----

Meanwhile, Roy and Samus relocated to the garden where a single, yellow rose with red tips lay on the edge of the fountain, awaiting the bluenette's arrival. The bounty hunter raised questions from behind a carefully selected bush, "Roy? Why a yellow rose ... and above all that, a yellow rose with _red-tipped_ petals? That's a little too original, don'tcha think?"

The swordsman shook his head from atop the branch of a tree, his wild, flaming locks moving from side to side. "Don't you know anything about the language of flowers?" Samus perked a brow, and Roy sighed. For some strange reason, the redhead knew all about the messages flowers convey, especially the meaning of a rose's certain colors. "A yellow rose with red-tips symbolizes friendship, and also ..." he blushed, his eyes straying towards the shrubs below him, "falling in love." The bounty hunter giggled, "That's very clever, Roy, and oh so cute!"

"Shut up, Samus."

"Oh come on, you know it's true."

The redhead retorted with an apathetic groan and looked around tiresomely, anticipating the prince's horribly convenient arrival. Luckily, just in case he DIDN'T happen to visit the fountain today, they left millions (dare I stress the number) of notes in his room for such a contingency. But are they less vague this time?

Not too long after, they spotted the bluenette approaching from the distance, an inquisitive look plastered upon his pale features. "Roy!" Samus yelled into the headset, "Target is approaching the fountain!" The redhead nodded and directed his gaze towards Marth and the distance between him and the fountain ... but mostly Marth. "Hey Samus?"

"Yeah, Roy?"

"Did you plant note number two?"

"Uhh ... what note? You told me to put one there?"

"...–"

"Argh!" The swordsman almost fell out of the tree, had he not clung to the branch in a futile attempt, "Samus! How could you forget the note?!" "Well how would I know?! He's _your_ crush!" the bounty hunter responded indignantly. Roy sighed and pouted slightly. Another plan foiled yet again by the lack of common sense.

As expected of the truly oblivious prince, he waited at the fountain, but left impatiently after his "messenger" didn't seem to make a clear appearance. As he walked passed the fountain, he noticed the apparently out-of-place shrub that sat on the tiles of the water's edge. Marth smiled and gazed serenely at its yellow petals, "That's strange." Without any thought of _why_ a flower just_ happened_ to be there when a _certain someone _just asked him to come to the garden, he took it into his gentle grasp and decided to bring it back into the house for a vase and fresh water.

As the bluenette trotted away, the rose from Roy nonchalantly in hand, the other swordsman admitted defeat and slumped over in failure. Again. Samus supported her head with her hands, "Well, there's always the next plan–"

"Forget it."

"What?"

Roy straightened his posture and hopped down from the branch. He grinned, "Thanks Samus, but I think I'm going to find another way where it isn't so oblivious."

The bounty hunter, disappointed, but approving of the redhead's decision to try new things, brushed her blonde hair back and smiled for a response. Taking the initiative to leave, Roy waved and started on his way back to the mansion.

He hummed a tune and pondered on his next actions. "Hmm. I wonder who else could help me ..."

* * *

Hahahaha. Horrible cliffhanger. Who will help Roy next?

Marth: Shiki-chou wishes for reviews if you will. Please do and thank you!


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